Sowing season in Punjab: Farmers urged to use wheat seeds of approved varieties

LAHORE: “Farmers should cultivate seeds of approved varieties of wheat on maximum area to achieve the production target set for the current sowing season in the Punjab province.”

This was stated by the chief scientist of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Muhammad Nawaz Maikan, while addressing a farmers’ convention organised for the awareness of wheat farmers on Monday by the provincial agriculture department.

He said that last year wheat was cultivated on 0.17 million acres in Sargodha division. This resulted in an average yield of 28 maunds per acre while the average wheat production in Punjab province is 30 maunds per acre. He further said that in order to make wheat profitable, the support price has been increased to Rs 3000 per 40 kg before sowing so that farmers can cultivate wheat as a profitable crop on maximum area. He urged the farmers to cultivate maximum area of wheat in Sargodha division as a national duty and avoid setting fire to the fields where paddy harvesting is in progress.

Chief Scientist Ayub Agricultural Research, Faisalabad Institute further said that agricultural scientists are working on developing new varieties of wheat to be tested against climate change so that the average production of the province can be increased to 36 maunds per acre. Production competitions are also being organized at the district level. This year, Punjab government has provided a subsidy of two billion rupees on wheat seeds and other agricultural inputs.

On this occasion, Director Agriculture Extension Sargodha Shahid Hussain said in his address that timely cultivation of wheat on maximum area is being ensured through stimulation among the farmers so that the food security situation in the country can be made satisfactory with the additional production of wheat.

Dr Javed Akhtar, Chief Scientist, Wheat Institute, said in his speech that to meet the needs of the growing population, it is necessary to achieve wheat production of 36 maunds per acre by 2030. Farmers should cultivate more wheat. Progressive farmers in Punjab province have achieved yields of up to 60 maunds per acre.

On this occasion, Dr Saeed Iqbal, an agronomist of private company, highlighted the balanced use of fertilizers in the wheat crop and recommended the farmers to pay special attention to the balance of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022